déjeuner

Definition

1. Noun:

   • A breakfast or lunch: "déjeuner" is a French loanword meaning the first meal of the day (breakfast) or, in some contexts, a midday meal (lunch).
   • A formal meal: In French culture, "déjeuner" can refer to a formal or substantial meal, often served around noon.

2. Verb:

   • To eat breakfast or lunch: "déjeuner" as a verb means to have the morning or midday meal.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • We had a light déjeuner of croissants and coffee. (A breakfast or morning meal.)
  • The restaurant serves a three-course déjeuner for a fixed price. (A formal midday meal.)

• Verb:

  • They déjeuner at noon every day. (They eat lunch at midday.)
  • She prefers to déjeuner early in the morning. (She prefers to eat breakfast early.)

Advanced Usage

• "petit déjeuner": a term for breakfast, literally "small lunch," often used in French-influenced contexts.

  • The hotel offers a continental petit déjeuner. (A light breakfast.)

• "déjeuner sur l'herbe": a picnic or outdoor meal, literally "lunch on the grass."

  • They enjoyed a déjeuner sur l'herbe by the river. (They had a picnic outdoors.)

Variants and Related Words

• Déjeuner-dîner (n): a combination of lunch and dinner, or a late lunch served as a main meal.

  • The event featured a déjeuner-dîner at 3 PM. (A meal that bridges lunch and dinner.)

• Déjeuner-à-la-fourchette (n): a fork lunch, meaning a substantial meal eaten with utensils (as opposed to a light snack).

  • The office provided a déjeuner-à-la-fourchette for the team. (A proper lunch with utensils.)

Synonyms

• Breakfast: the first meal of the day, typically eaten in the morning.
• Lunch: a meal eaten in the middle of the day, often around noon.
• Brunch: a late morning meal that combines breakfast and lunch.

Phrasal Verbs

• Déjeuner dehors: to eat breakfast or lunch outdoors.

  • They decided to déjeuner dehors in the garden. (They ate their midday meal outside.)

• Déjeuner en ville: to eat lunch in town or at a restaurant.

  • We often déjeuner en ville on weekends. (We eat lunch in a restaurant in town.)

Related Idioms

• Déjeuner du roi: literally "king's breakfast," meaning a lavish or abundant meal.

  • The buffet was like a déjeuner du roi, with endless dishes. (A very large and luxurious breakfast.)

• Déjeuner de soleil: literally "sunset lunch," used metaphorically to mean something that is pleasant but fleeting.

  • Their romance was a déjeuner de soleil, beautiful but short-lived. (A brief, enjoyable experience.)